Chapter 52

As it waited for the night to pass, the remains of the hookworms had completely disappeared, having been fully converted into nutrients by Lin.

However, using the 'bomb' attack, although powerful, seemed somewhat wasteful. Once it exploded, there was no way to recover it. Next time, it should use non-suicidal units.

Those thoughts could wait for later. What Lin was most concerned about now was the situation below, which it only saw clearly during the day.

The lava that had erupted earlier had now turned gray-black, maintaining its previous spreading and flowing shape, solidified on the seabed. This was very similar to what Lin had seen in the trench.

Why did the lava solidify?

Because of the cold? The temperature in the water is very low. If low temperatures can make water hard, they can also make lava hard.

How interesting.

Leviathan slowly swam above the solidified lava flow. Lin touched the black surface of the lava flow with its tentacles but felt no heat at all.

Completely cooled down? It seemed like the claim that it had heated the entire water area was false.

'False'?

What a strange word, as if things are not necessarily what they seem... Where do these words come from? This wasn't the first time Lin had doubted this, but it had never received an answer.

So, it turned its attention back.

Although the lava caused significant damage and killed many organisms, it also attracted many more. A large number of single-celled organisms quickly arrived, burrowing into the cracks of the solidified lava, seemingly searching for something to eat.

Could there be similar edible substances here as in the trench plumes?

Lin was curious. It released collectors to burrow into the cracks of the lava and indeed found edible substances.

This place would likely attract a large number of organisms, and it needed to occupy it.

Thinking this, Lin placed a base seed in this location.

Next, it decided to check out the area where the lava had erupted.

Leviathan swam to the opening where the lava had spewed out. The water here was filled with oddly colored debris and bubbles. Inhaling these bubbles would cause the cells that came into contact with the gas to die.

Toxic gas...

Perhaps it could be useful. Lin could store these gases in the gas bladders of the gas storers. As long as the cells didn't inhale them, there would be no problem.

If injected into other organisms, they would uncontrollably absorb them because they couldn't perfectly control every cell.

The opening below had been sealed by the solidified lava. It was unknown if more lava would erupt.

This place was somewhat dangerous. Placing a base here to observe was indeed correct. It might erupt again in the future.

So, it was time to leave...

As Leviathan swam out of the opening, it suddenly saw some large multicellular organisms swimming toward it from above.

They were hookworms.

There were three of them. They showed no interest in the single-celled organisms floating around but swam directly toward Leviathan. However, they did not attack directly but circled around it.

Hookworms have brains, and they are much larger than those of flatworms. But in proportion, the hookworms' brains are smaller.

They used their leaf-like appendages to swim quickly in the water, making them very agile even with their armor. Dealing with three at once would likely result in some losses.

So, here's what I'll do.

Lin had the gas storers fill up with toxic gas and then swim toward the hookworms.

These hookworms, unlike the one from before, did not foolishly fall for the trap. Seeing the gas-filled gas storers, they all dodged to the side.

Their intelligence was clearly different from the night... or perhaps it was a difference between individuals?

Next, Lin created a small sphere, only about a hundred cells in size, which the hookworms could not see. Inside the sphere were some infectors, and the outer layer had an eye, a hollow injection tube, and a highly sensitive vibratory tentacle.

It was called an 'infection sphere.' It could swim by jet propulsion, a new infection method Lin had devised, primarily targeting organisms with brains. Lin wanted to see what effects the virus would have on various organisms' brains.

The infection sphere slowly approached one of the hookworms, getting close to its gills. The gills had fine, net-like structures, but they were passive, not actively capturing intruders. Lin could easily avoid these nets and enter the hookworm's circulatory system through its oxygen system.

The hookworm's brain was in the center of its body. The infection sphere was inside one of the many blood vessels, and Lin had no idea of its exact location. However, it could sense the brain's signals with the infection sphere's tentacle and swim toward the brain.

The hookworm's blood vessels were filled with various cells, nutrients, waste, and immune cells. Lin had to avoid the immune cells and enter the hookworm's brain to inject the virus into the brain cells.

Immune cells attack all intruders, but the infection sphere was encased in a hard shell and moved much faster than cells. The blood flow in this vessel was also favorable, and Lin easily outpaced the immune cells that tried to attack it.

The sensation grew stronger ahead, and Lin believed it had reached the brain.

Next, it had the infection sphere's injection tube pierce the blood vessel wall and inject all the virus inside.

Would the infection sphere be useless now? No, its task wasn't over. The infection sphere anchored itself to the blood vessel wall with its injection tube to prevent being swept away by the blood flow. Then, it shed its outer shell, and the cells inside began to divide rapidly. When it grew large enough to block the entire blood vessel, it secreted a hard shell to completely seal the vessel.

This was mainly to block the immune cells. They might eventually find a way to remove the blockage, but by then, the virus would have replicated extensively.

Now, it was time to watch the interesting developments.

The three hookworms did not attack Leviathan due to the toxic gas but continued to swim nearby. Lin observed the infected hookworm, watching for changes...

At first, there were no noticeable changes, but after some time, its behavior clearly altered. Its body began to twitch, and its speed and movements became much faster, but its actions were no longer regular, appearing more erratic and frenzied.

It seemed that 'mad' was the term used to describe when a brainy organism lost control.

The infected hookworm made strange movements, attacking nearby hookworms. It used its large, curved front limbs to grab the tail of a fellow hookworm and instantly tore it off.

The hookworm's muscles should not have the strength to tear off a tail connected to its armor. Had the infection increased its strength?

The hookworm that had its tail torn off could no longer swim and twisted its body as it sank to the bottom. The other hookworm quickly swam away.

The infected hookworm swam in circles in the water and then swam rapidly in another direction, swaying as it went.

Lin believed it would undoubtedly collide with rocks or something, but it found this very interesting. It seemed the virus had not damaged the hookworm's brain cells; otherwise, it would have died.

The virus had made it go mad. How long would it survive? The virus was indeed a fascinating thing.

Leviathan swam toward the hookworm with the severed tail, which was struggling on the solidified lava, and extended its tentacles to wrap it up.

A hundred cells for one hookworm? Not bad. The virus had great research value.

Research was indeed a fascinating thing. Not just the virus, but Lin suddenly realized that the research on the base covering the green cells on the sea surface had also made progress.

By regulating and synthesizing the 'pigments' within the cells, they had managed to produce green.

However, just being green seemed to have no practical use.

But Lin already knew how to adjust the 'pigments.'

Just like adjusting the chitin, they were composed of a substance within the cells. If controlled, they could produce various colors.

If needed, Lin could sense the different substances within the cells and adjust them accordingly.

This was called... 'taste'?

...

Thank you to ~Loli Lover~ for the 18888 x 2 support! Two updates tomorrow!

Thank you to ~Da Wo Cheng~ for the support!

[AD begins on the previous page]

[AD ends on the previous page]